A Development Of Optimal Buffer Allocation Determination Method For J.1-Unbalanced Unpaced Production Line
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Date
2009-04
Authors
ISMAIL, MOHD SHIHABUDIN
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Abstract
This research deals with a buffer allocation problem in an unpaced
(asynchronous) ,u-unbalanced production line. Unpaced line is referred to a line
with workstations act independently and the material is not pulled by demand but
in push mode. In this research, the production line is considered unpaced, ,uunbalanced
but reliable. The optimal buffer allocation (OBA) needs to be
determined for this particular type of production line. This subject is importance
since recently many small and medium sizes products' companies are utilizing
unpaced production lines and a convenient method of determining OBA is
required. OBA is referred to the optimum number of buffers to be allocated in the
intermediate buffer slots between the workstations so that it can maximize
throughput rate and optimize total number of work in progress (WIP) on the line.
This research's problem statement is divided into two main phases. For phase 1,
a searching method using Arif's algorithm simulation software is carried out to
simulate the throughput rate for a given sets of buffer allocation shapes in the
production line. Few Basic OBA Goncept (BOG) represented the characteristics
of OBA for a production line was summarized from the searching method. By
applying these BOG, a development of OBA Determination Flow is carried out in
phase 2. OBA Determination Flow which utilized 6 Steps OBA tool is used to
guide the management in allocating the buffer during designing a line layout, with
reference to the /1 of each station in the production line. This OBA Determination
Flow will summarize the flow of determining OBA for both fully balanced and /1-
unbalanced line. Then, two actual case studies with different numbers of stations
carried out in one of the multinational electronic company in north region of
Peninsular Malaysia to validate the result from OBA Determination Flow
developed. From the case studies, it is proven that the OBA decided by using the
flow established giving the highest performance to the production line. Generally,
OBA Determination Flow developed could be utilized as an OBA determination
~ method for /1-unbalanced unpaced production line.
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A Development Of Optimal Buffer Allocation Determination Method , For J.1-Unbalanced Unpaced Production Line